2月28日 不要按自己的规矩摔跤
不要按自己的规矩摔跤
有些人也与罪摔跤，却并不恨恶罪；他们的争战如同儿戏，并非动了真格。只要心中对某种罪的爱火尚未熄灭，那罪恶之火就绝不会真正平息。
当我们藐视神的法则，试图用自己的规矩取代祂的规则时，就是在与神争战。也许你没有质疑神的护理，也确实在与罪抗争，这看似可嘉，但神的要求更高：你必须照着祂的规则争战，且只能照着祂的规则。保罗告诉提摩太：“人若在场上比武，非按规矩，就不能得冠冕”（提后 2:5）。请对照下面这些人的错误来省察自己，他们打的是自己的仗，而非基督的仗。
其一，有些人一面与某种罪摔跤，一面却拥抱另一种罪。 我们的私欲五花八门，且会为了争夺地盘而内斗。当阴毒想要报复时，诡诈就说：“把怒气藏起来——但绝不要饶恕。”当情欲想去召妓时，假冒为善会出面叫停，但这并非出于敬畏神，而是出于惧怕世人的眼光。一个容许某种罪去压制另一种罪、借此统御灵魂的人，绝不可能成为神的勇士。
其二，有些人是被迫上阵。 奴仆般的恐惧暂时吓住了他们，使他们一时间不敢放纵私欲。但这类人的真正争战，其实发生在良心与意志之间，而非灵魂与私欲之间。最终，意志总会占上风，因为被强行压制却未被弃绝的私欲，会像一匹被困的烈马一样愈发狂野。最后，良心再也勒不住缰绳，反被掀下马鞍。于是私欲四处横行，尽情吞噬，直到良心再次苏醒，奔向神寻求救助。
其三，有些人也与罪摔跤，却并不恨恶罪；他们的争战如同儿戏，并非动了真格。只要心中对某种罪的爱火尚未熄灭，那罪恶之火就绝不会真正平息。如何才能熄灭呢？耶柔米（Jerome）曾言：一种爱能熄灭另一种爱。也就是说，必须用对基督的爱来熄灭对罪的爱。直到那时，灵魂对罪的禁令才会生效。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：出11章，路14章，
个人灵修：伯29章，林前15章
FEBRUARY 28, SATURDAY
DO NOT WRESTLE BY YOUR OWN RULES
Others wrestle with sin but do not hate it. They wrestle in jest, not in earnest. Until the love of a sin is quenched in the heart, the fire will never die out.
We wrestle against God when we disregard His rules and substitute our own. Maybe you do not wrestle against God’s providence, and you do wrestle against sin. This seems commendable, but God requires more: You must wrestle by His rules and His alone. Timothy tells us, “If a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully” (2 Timothy 2:5). Check your own conduct against the errors of some who have waged their own battle, and not Christ’s:
Some, while they wrestle against one sin, embrace another. Our lusts are diverse and will fight for rank among themselves. When malice wants revenge, craft says, “Hide your wrath—but do not forgive.” When passion sends out for whores, hypocrisy cancels the request but for the fear of the world, not God. The man who allows one sin to command another, and thus to rule his soul, cannot be God’s champion.
Some wrestle because they are pressed into service. Their slavish fears frighten them and keep them from their lusts for the moment. But the real combat for such a wrestler is between his conscience and his will, rather than between his soul and his lusts. In such a case, the will at last prevails, for a lust held in check but not discarded grows as wild as a trapped stallion. Finally the conscience can no longer hold the reins nor sit in the saddle, but is thrown down. Then the lust ranges where it can have its fullest meal and will continue to gorge itself until conscience revives and runs to God for help.
Others wrestle with sin but do not hate it. They wrestle in jest, not in earnest. Until the love of a sin is quenched in the heart, the fire will never die out. How is this accomplished? Jerome says one love extinguishes another—that is, the love of Christ must quench the love of sin. Then and not until then will the soul’s decree stand against sin.